Planning, preparing and propagating
For me, February has been a month of planning, preparing and propagation. Earlier this month our first RHS recommended event of year – on the subject of planning a kitchen garden – went well and it was great to see such enthusiasm for growing your own.
Time outdoors in the unforgiving winter chill has been spent clearing spent crops, taking the runners off strawberries (and feeding them with wood ash from the potting shed wood burner!) and covering a polytunnel. Volunteers Marguerite and Lisa – who are also doing RHS courses – have been helping with this and the task of raking the beds within. Earlier this month we were forcing rhubarb. We force alternate crowns using tubs and mulch.
I have also been propagating this month and we have seedlings in the greenhouse of:
- Chillies, including 'Chocolate Habanero', 'Purple Tiger', 'Padron' and 'Hungarian Hot Wax'
- Physalis: Physalis peruviana (syn. 'Edulis') and 'Violet Tomatillo'
- Summer sprouting broccoli: 'Spike' and 'Bordeaux'
- Cauliflower: 'Kaleidoscope' and 'Macerata'
- Summer cabbage: 'Derby Day', 'Golden Acre', 'Kalibos' and 'Greyhound'
- Herbs: dill, parsley, coriander, sage and thyme
Next month I hope to do the tasks I would have done this month if the weather had been milder including sorting out the broad beans, the spinach and the parsnips. I can’t wait to get outside and get on the land every day.
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